Sleeping-car.



No. 819,196. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906. T. O. ABBOTT.

SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1906.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1.

No. 819,196. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906. T. 0. ABBOTT.

SLEEPING GAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17, 9

1 06 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 819,196. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906. T. 0. ABBOTT.

SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 No. 819,196. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906v T. 0. ABBOTT.

SLEEPING GAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17 1906.

s SHEETS-SHEET 4.

l A T:

No. 819,196. PATBNTED MAY 1, 1906. T. O. ABBOTT. SLEEPING GAR. APPLICATION PI-LED JAN.17. 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 7 ,W b JV M m w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SLEEPlNG-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented may 1, 1906.

Application filed January 17, 1906. Serial No. 296,545.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TWYMAN O. ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seat tle, Washington, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Sleeping-Cars, of which the fo owing is a specification.

My invention relates to slee ing-cars, and is designedmainly for cars 0 the Pullman class embodying the general plan of the United States Patents to VVoodruff of 1856. These cars embody such material advantages that they have continued in general use notwithstandin the appearance of many other types; but t 'eir use is attended by grievous inconveniences familiar to most travelers. As at the present time and hitherto constructed the bed can be removed to clear the space between the seats only after the occupant has left it and then only by the porter readjusting the Whole structure to the day form of seats. There is no convenience whatever for toilet, also no space in which to sit, stand, or dress, excepting in the narrow main passage exosed toview and to the bufi'etings of porters and of theother passengers.

The avoid t ese objectionable features of travel in Pullman and other slee ing-cars by providing for the temporary an easy removal of the bed or part thereof, to uncover or leave clearthe whole or part of the s ace between the fixed seat-frames, so that t e passenger may get his feet upon the floor without projecting them into the ublic highway of the aisle. This removal of the bed from the space between the seat-frames ma be efiected by sidewise movement and pre erably by tipping the bed or a part thereof, and this may be done temporarily and by the passenger or by the porter and by a single movement. 1

An important feature of my said invention consists in the adheringin the main to the existing construction.

Accessories to my said main feature and details of construction are described hereinafter and illustrated in the drawings annexed to this specification and forming a part thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents an interior side elevation of two sections of my improved sleeping-car. Figs. 2 and 3 show vertical cross-sections of-the car. Figs. 4 to 14, inclusive, and Figs. 5 and 6* illustrate details of construction hereinafter described.

It will be observed in the drawings that the main features of the common Pullman sleeping-cars are retained. The seats A A, ar

primary object of my invention is to ranged in pairs facing each other and their cushions movable and ada ted b day to form the seats and backs and by night to form the bed, are substantially the same as in the cars now in use; but instead of the bridgepiece or removable bars extending between the seat-frames or other devices now in use in order to support the-cushion forming the middle part of the bed over the space between the seats I provide alight, thin, movable frame, which extends under the whole bed or a sufficient part thereof, by means of which frame the middle parts of the bed are supported over the space between the seats and by which also the whole, or a sufficient -part of the whole, may be lifted and temporarily moved aside. This frame (markedB and shown in place in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 and detached in Fig. 5) is made light and strong and preferably collapsible by folding or displacement of its parts. As shown in Fig. 5, it may be collapsed by removing from the side pieces the interlocked end pieces 2 or by folding the entire frame upon itself on the hinges 3.

The frame is fitted removably in the seatspace and, as shown, covers the seat-frames and the space between, resting upon the frames and other supports in such manner that the frame may be tilted sidewise or. may be removed.

The particular form of support is shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 3, and 5. The crossbar 2 at each end is provided with a pivot or trunnion 4 Fig. 5, projecting from the central art of the bar in the place of the frame and aving'a bearing onthe framework or some solid support upon the car-floor. As shown in Fig. 2, these bearings are in a solidi ysecured slotted piece, as indicated at 4,315 shown in Fig. 7. The slot extends from one side to the center, where it turns downward, forming a pocket in which the trunnion rests and is-held when the frame is turned down in normal position as illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus supported at both ends it is apparent that the frame may be turned from its normal or horizontal position to that of a vertical plane, as shown on the right of Fig. 2, the frame B, with the cushion C thereon, being also moved sidewise to the wall of the car, whereby the larger part of the seats and of the space between the seats is uncovered.-

In order to. lessen the effort required to move the bed to the wall, 1 provide coiled springs and wire cords, such as those now used to relieve the strain of the upper berths.

I Pul man sleeper.

These springs are shown at ,44 and the ends at 45, Fig. 5, connected to the bed-supporting frame at or near the trunnion, but may be connected at any convenient point.

It will beunderstood that in putting the parts in order the cushions are removed, as in the I resent method of making of the bed in a Then the frame is put in place and the cushions laid thereon, and thus the bed is made. In order to remove the bed temporarily, as for the purpose of dressing, the frame supporting the cushions and bed, clothing is tipped and moved to the wall, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. When in normal position, the frame is supported on one sidey the trunnion and on the other by brackets 5. It may be removed from engagement with the slots by collapsing the frameor in any convenient way. The bed is in this position the same as the ordinary sleeping-car berth; but in the mornin the occupant or the porter at his call may ift the Whole bed, resting on the frame, which turns on the trunnions, and by means of their slotted bearing the whole may be moved sidewise to the wall of the car, leaving the greater part of the the side of the frame instead of the center.

, the space is uncovered, so that the occupant may have floor-space within the limits of his berth.- Although the bed with its supporting-frame is moved aside, it is easy to provide a temporary seat underneath in the space below the bed, such as that shown in Fig. 1

where is shown a seat 38, vertically adjustable on a screw-standard. This is shown merely as a sample, for other forms will readily suggest themselves. Sitting upon this (even if not able to stand quite upright) the accommodations superior to those now oflered will be apparent to all accustomed to travel in sleeping-cars; but the main idea of uncovering the floor-space between the seats aiiords opportunity for other conveniences. The space under the opposite seat maybe utilized for lavatory purposes and may be rovided with basin and "pitcher in a simple orm or with permanent pipes and fixtures for water supply and escape, as in the regular car-lavatories. I have shown in Fig. 1 a bowl or basin 39, vertically adjustable, like the seat 38, and s ace for a pitcher 40. The seat 38 may also e'in the form of a urinal or bowl for other toilet pur oses and have its vertically-adjustable stan ard tubular and dressing-room'ample 'for ear purposes.

her of hinging the upper berth.

the berth-spaces, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

46 on the back of the seat behind the upholstering and 47 in the removable divisionwalls.

The construction described ail'ords under all conditions ample sitting room within the berth when the bed has been moved aside and converts the lower berth into a dressingroom, the full advantage of which the passenger may acquire by securing also the upper berth, in which case he has a private For many persons the space will be ample, .even when the upper berth is let down. I. have, however, provided for increased head-space by means of a supplemental lloor, as shown in Fig. 2.

This floor (marked 50 in the drawings) may extend underneath the berth-sec tion of the car and need not extend to the outer sides. It gives storage room underthe main floor, divided, by the central wall .31

into two. compartments, adapted to .secure the small baggage. Access to it by means of a'trap-door 52, located in the space between the seats, which when uncovered leaves standing room on the supplemental iloor'in the art uncovered. The trap-door is turned nae and restsagainst theupturned bed. The plumbing .is extended down through this sup lemental chamber, as shown in Fig. 2.

ile the construction above described converts the lower berth into a comfortable and private dressing-room, increased height of this room may be. had by someelevating of the upper berth. The only change, however, which I have, made in this is in the man- 1 have pivoted this berth on brackets 5-1, having slots 55 inclined toward the wall of the car, and from an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be seen that the upper berth 56 when put up rests with itspivots in the lower part of'the slots and assumes its ordinary closed position, but that when lowered. the pivots are in the higher part of the slot, and the berth is therefore raised above the position of the struc-- ture now in use. The edge moves on rollers 54.

Some details of construction of relatively less importance and which may be greatly changed without dii'liculty are shown in Figs.

are joined to the end pieces 2 by tenon-andmortise joints, as shown in detail 5", so that they can be taken apart readily. Fig. 7 shows a part of the bed in place, partly in longitudinal section, the cushions being detachabl'y held to the frame by means of buttons. (Shown more clearly in the detail figures.)

While I have described the frame as extending under the entire lengtli of the bed, I do not restrict myself to this, as the removable frame may be less than the entire length and still serve to support the whole of the bed-cushions.

The frame may be made as shown in Fig. 9, in which the central part of the frame 1s composed of side bars, (indicated at b 1),) and these are separately removable. The bars are formed with tenons, as shown in Fig. 10, and fit in mortises in the end frames. One of these mortises for each, bar is provided with an entering-slot, so that one end of the bar may be entered first and the other swung into its place. In this form those parts of the frame coterminous with the ordinary seat-frame need not be removable and only the interior parts, but Whenthe interior parts are in place the whole frame may be swung up, as hereinbe'fore explained. The parts which remain under the seat are illustrated.

in Fig. 11, which shows one end, the other (omitted) being identical therewith.

Figs. 6, 6", 12, 13, and 14 illustrate de vices of Well-known form for locking the cushions removably to the frame.

I cla m as my invention and substantially as described- I 1. In a sleeping-car having fixed seats arranged in pairs facin each other and forming a section for a be a frame fitted to rest on said seats, to cover the space between the seats, and to support the cushions, and also adapted to be removed to uncover the said space.

2. In a sleeping-car havin fixed seats arranged in airs facing each other and forming a section for a bed, a frame fitted to rest on said seats, to cover the space between the seats and to support the .cushions, and also adapted to be turned upon its edge against the side of the car.

3. In combination, with the seats arranged to face each other, and with the cushions therefor, a frame extending over said seats and over the intermediate space, and to support the bed-forming cushions, said frame being arranged to turn on bearings and to be .port the bed-forming cushions, said frame eing arranged to turn on trunnions movable in slots and provided with springs and cords to assist the movement. V

6. In a sleeping-car having fixed seats arranged in pairs and facing each other, and movable cushions for said seats adapted to form the bed, a bed-supporting frame adapted to be moved to uncover the space between the seats, in combination with a supplemental floor, and a trap-door therefor in said space. I

7. In a sleeping-car having seats arran ed in pairs and facing each other, and movafiale cushions for said seats, adapted to form the bed, a bed-supportin frame adapted to be moved tojuncover t- 1e space between the seats in combination with an upper berth pivoted to rise on its bearings when swung downward.

8. In a slccping-car having fixed seats arranged in pairs and facing each other, and movable cushions for said seats, adapted to form the bed, a bed-supporting frame adapted to be moved to uncover the space between the seats, in combination with toilet bowls or basins, and water-supply pipes, located in the space beneath the seats, said bowls or basins being uncovered by the removal of the frame.

9. In a sleeping-car having seats arranged in pairs and facing each other, and movable cushions for said seats, adapted to form the bed, a bed-supporting frame adapted to be moved to uncover the space between the seats and an upper berth vertically movable on its pivots.

In testimony whereof I a'llix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

T NYMAN O. ABPOTT.

Witnesses:

' C. S. MIDDLETON,

EDWARD N. SARTON.

IOO 

